Greenhouse Gas Industries, LLC — Department of Energy SBIR Phase I: 15c

Description

Cement manufacture accounts for 5% of world CO2 emissions. Precast cement (15-20% of total in North America) requires CO2 during manufacture; the CO2 is not always available and it can be very costly. The object of this work is to develop and demonstrate a novel method to capture flue gas CO2 and then create a dry form, i.e., that can be incorporated in cement dry mix. The addition of CO2-equivalents will improve the strength of the cement for a superior product while rapidly mineralizing CO2 for secure storage. This technology specifically addresses the DOE CCUS strategy for CO2 management and reduction. Greenhouse Gas Industries will generate a novel, high efficiency chemistry to capture CO2 in a form preferred for cement enhancement. This “dry CO2” will be formulated as a powder that can be readily mixed with calcium silicate to make carbonate cement concrete and thereby achieve storage by means of beneficial mineralization. The approach will be cost effective for CO2 capture and for cement manufacturers. Phase I has two objectives. The first is to demonstrate production and quantify CO2 absorption and desorption performance of this novel CO2 capture processes. Greenhouse Gas Industries will optimize gas and liquid flows to maximize CO2 capture and enable processing of large gas volumes. The second is to measure the extent of carbonation in cured cement and characterize improvements in overall strength of the final product. This technology will enable the transport of large amounts of CO2-equivalents and, unlike liquid CO2 there will be no need for refrigeration and pressurization. This will further reduce the carbon footprint of carbonate cement. It will also enable the rapid carbonation of cement and concrete that will benefit both the precast and cast-in-place aspects of the business worldwide. Greenhouse Gas Industries will capture CO2 from flue gas to incorporate it into cement, i.e., mineralization, a process that enhances cement strength and density to yield a higher quality product. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: Reduction in cement related CO2-emissions will have an important impact reduction of greenhouse gases. Mineralizing CO2 in cement will not only provide and efficient and widely distributed storage mechanism but will improve strength enabling use of less cement for a given project, further reducing CO2 emissions yet allowing more cement and concrete to be used in the construction needed to respond to increases in sea level.